Glass Smiles and Iron Hearts
by falbreezy
Summary: 1 universe, 9 planets, 204 countries, 809 islands, 7 seas, and I had the privilege to meet you. (OCXKyoya)
1. Father's Orders

**Oof. Enjoy.**

I sat on my bed, Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" playing as I carefully studied from my politics textbook. It was like this every night, sitting alone in my room and studying, with the exception of when my parents were hosting a business dinner. On those days, I would go downstairs and suck up to whatever important rich guy was currently visiting. Mitsuko, my sister, was not welcome to those meetings, as my father didn't want her embarrassing the "family name." It's not like she would come either way; she was a bit of a free spirit, with wild black hair and bright green eyes. She was always off doing something rebellious- anything other than following the rules. I, on the other hand, had to be perfect at all times. I didn't have the choice; as the heir to a multimillion dollar company I needed to be the best I could possibly be.

It's not like our business was particularly interesting, we made foam peanuts for boxes, but apparently people loved the little Styrofoam bits of moving material, because we were insanely rich. I actually wasn't supposed to be the first in line to owning the business, but due to my sister's actions, my father had declared me the heir. Now all I had to do was keep being the ideal student, and I was destined to be the next CEO of "Katsuhida's Packing Peanuts."

Of course I had other dreams in life, but none of those mattered. All that was important at the moment was maintaining my grades and social status; no clubs, no fooling around, and absolutely no boys. I knew from experience that relationships were nothing but trouble, and there was no such thing as true love. Besides, I had much better things to worry about, like making sure I built the right business connections with the right people.

"Yo Shiori, dad said he needs ya." Mitsuko stuck her head through the crack in the door, long black hair falling around her in a tangled mess. I always kept my appearance neat and orderly, not one stray hair out of place, and made sure that my vivid red curls didn't frizz up. The key to success was looking your best, even though it was exceptionally harder for me than it was for everyone else. You see, my mother was pure Irish, with unruly scarlet hair and bright emerald eyes, plus a heavy dusting of freckles across her ivory skin. Sadly, I looked just like her. I much rather would have taken after my father, who had stony black eyes and straight hair- he looked professional.

"Did he happen to tell you why?" I inquired lazily, not looking up from my textbook.

"I don't know ya lousy book worm, find out yourself." She turned away, and I heard her footsteps starting to disappear down the hall. This didn't stop her from yelling "By the way, your music sucks!"

I sighed, gracefully swinging both legs over the side of my bed and standing up. _Uncultured jerk_ , I thought, _she wouldn't know good music if it slapped her upside the head_. Sauntering down the hall, I stopped when I made it to the big mahogany doors to my Father's office. I honestly had no idea what he wanted, and as far as I knew, I hadn't done anything wrong. There were two possible outcomes for what was about to happen next: he was either gonna give me really good news, or REALLY bad news. Gingerly, I turned the silver knob and pushed the door open. I took a seat in a leather chair in the corner, crossing my legs in front of me and putting on a straight face.

"Good day to you Shiori, I assumed you've been studying for you exams?" He asked, no sign of interest in his tone.

"Yes father." I replied with a steady voice, looking right into his dark eyes. Most people were scared of my father, but I wasn't, as fear would only make it harder for me to become heir. A strong person has no fears.

"Very good, as expected from you." He paused. "I have a very important task for you, and I need it completed as soon as possible."

"What do you wish of me?" I questioned, wondering what in the world I had to do this time. It was as if didn't do enough already.

"I'm aware that Ootori Kyoya, the son of one of our most powerful business partners, is in your class. I want you to become acquainted with him, as it will do us well for you two to be friends. Is that understood?" With no other option, I shook my head in response. "Good. Now you may be excused."

I stood from up from the chair and walked out the door, not letting up my perfect facade until I was finally back in the privacy in my own bedroom. In all honesty, I couldn't have been more annoyed, but I didn't want to let my aggravation show. I mean, seriously? Kyoya Otori, of all freaking people?! He was a god dang host, and there was no way in hell that I wanted to be friends with him. _I guess it could be worse, he could want me to be friends with Suoh, or even those devilish Hitachiins. At least Ootori-San has some common sense._

You see, the hosts were not only the most attractive and popular boys in school, they were also the most affluent, and there was no way I wanted anything to do with any of them. They were too pretty boy- too phony. Besides, what kind of girl would like a guy who spends his time flirting with other girls for fun (and a fee)? I'd never actually been inside of music room three, and I wanted to keep it that way. Even with all of my friends desperate attempts to get me to simply talk to a host, I wouldn't budge, because it was a waste of time and money.

"Come on Shio-chan! You're always so uptight. Maybe you should take a break from work and loosen up a bit..." My closest friends, Ami and Mao, had pleaded. Ami batted those long, gorgeous eyelashes at me, but I still stood my ground. "please! One look at Tamaki-senpai and you'll fall absolutely in love, I just know it!"

"No." I'd simply stated, looking down at my notes. "They're just a bunch of boys anyways, I don't see the appeal."

Mao sighed, those honey colored eyes showing how obviously annoyed she'd been. "I wish you would just let yourself have fun for once. At this rate you'll end up alone on your death bed and realize that you were to busy working to ever have lived!"

"I'm sorry guys. Maybe some other time," I'd sighed. "I really have to study."

If only they understood why I worked so hard all of the time, if only they knew that I held a weight on my shoulder that they would never have to carry. Being females, those two had barely any chance of ever being heir to their family's business, and were probably just going to end up getting an arranged marriage to some filthy rich CEO. They wouldn't have to work a day in their life. I had no immediate male relatives though, other than my father of course, so I was going to end up with the weight of a multimillion dollar company on my shoulders. With the way business men looked at women, as though they were inferior, I would have to work a thousand times harder to prove myself. I hated that women were looked down upon in society, and I wanted to change that. I needed to be stronger and more eligible than any other man would be for my position. Until I reached the top, until I'd beaten every single person in my trade, I would not stop. I wanted all or nothing, illogically, irrationally, even though something inside of me knew that nothing would be too hard, and all was impossible

 **The next morning**

Standing in front of my large bathroom mirror, I pulled my thick red locks back into a bun, gelling down any flyaways. I then carefully adjusted the pink bow on my yellow uniform, ignoring the fact that the dress was impossibly ugly. Looking neat and orderly was a part of being neat and orderly, and wearing that fluffy dress was a necessary evil. Making sure that there were no hiccups in my appearance, I ended up trying to hide my freckles, but soon realized that all of the powder in the world couldn't cover the blemishes. "Stupid freaking dots of evil, why did I have to inherit you?!" I cursed to myself. People were constantly staring at me in awe, as it wasn't everyday you saw a ginger Japanese girl.

"Ya talking to yourself again, weirdo?" Mitsuko showed up behind me, causing me to jump. I never knew how she managed to randomly appear everyone, but it kind of freaked me out.

"Just remembering how much I hate the way I look." I sighed in defeat, taking in her dark hair and flawless skin. She looked mainly like my dad, minus the green eyes, but they really just made her look more exotic. It pissed me off that she could get such good DNA and not even care. "Do you wanna just trade appearances?"

"I would if I could." She chuckled, a smirk appearing across her features. "You don't realized how lucky you are to look like her. She was beautiful, and so are you. Just because it doesn't match your whole perfect goal, doesn't mean it's ugly, just unique."

"You wouldn't be saying that if you had to deal with these curls." I sighed, refusing to believe that I was actually attractive. I mean, I knew that I wasn't horrible looking, but I was nothing more than average. "Now if you'd excuse me, I need to go to school, because some of us actually enjoy getting a proper education." I joked, shuffling past her out of the room.

"Yeah yeah yeah you uptight workaholic, at least I know how to have a good time." She called after me, and I actually felt myself start to smile. She was the third person to have told me that in the last week. Maybe I wasn't the ideal definition of fun, but I was reliable and could hold up my side of a deal, and that was all that mattered... right?

When I finally got to class, I sat down at my regular seat by the window. Ami immediately made a quick beeline towards my desk, a look in those dark showing me that she had something she wanted to tell me. I knew the girl well enough that I could read her expressions, which wasn't quite surprising, seeing as how I'd been her friend since grade school. Today she was obviously happy. "Shio-chan! I have excellent news!" She grinned, baring her perfectly straight, white teeth. I'd always marveled over the girl's astounding beauty, but it was times like these when her natural good looks really shown through. "I'm throwing a huge 16th birthday party, and the whole host club is coming!"

"How'd you manage that?" I quirked my brow at her, looking up from my Calculus textbook.

"I payed them a crap ton of money," She laughed, flipping her raven hair behind her shoulder. "but that's beside the point. All that matters is that freaking Suoh is going to be at my party!"

"Did somebody say my name?" That oh so familiar voice came from behind us, causing me to groan. Tamaki Suoh had been in my class since he first came to Japan in middle school, along with that blasted Kyoya Ootori, and every time they walked in the room a group of fangirls broke out into giggles (Mao and Ami included)

I watched as the blonde sauntered over, his violet eyes sparkling in the sunlight. I admit that he was good looking, but DEFINITELY not my type- he was too much of an idiot. He bent down and kissed Ami's hand tenderly. "I can't wait to celebrate your birthday, princess. Your beauty makes all of the stars in the heavens look dull."

I rolled my eyes at his sign of affection, as I'd seen him use the same exact thing on a thousand other girls. I honestly didn't see what other girls saw in him. Then again, I wasn't like other girls, in the fact that I really wasn't interested in romance. I'd tried it once, and it didn't really work out, so I just came to the conclusion that love wasn't for me. As Mao always told me, "you're gonna die a lonely old cat woman."

Yet when I looked up from my textbook, the ever so famous shadow king was staring right at me with those steely eyes. I just sat there looking back for a second, before remembering that I had to try and become his friend. Grudgingly, I asked. "What do you want?" ( **Note:** her social skills aren't exactly great)

"I am not in need of anything, Ms. Katsuhida. I was just surprised at your reaction to Tamaki; if I remember correctly, you rolled your eyes." He questioned lazily, as though talking to me was a waste of time.

"Why yes, I did." I sighed, forcing a smile. "How very observant of you."

"Hmm... what seems to be the problem with him?" He said, looking down at that little notebook that he always seemed to be writing in.

"Nothing really, I just don't particularly care for romance." I replied casually. "Besides, I don't really understand how paying a host to treat you special is supposed to be fulfilling. I guess I'm just weird though, because everyone else seems to thoroughly enjoy being flirted with, even if it is for a price."

"That's an interesting opinion, in it's own way." He smirked, a hint of amusement lacing his tone.

"That doesn't mean I think that a host club is a stupid idea," I looked out of the window, observing a few students walking around in there sky blue blazers and yellow dresses. "just that it isn't my cup of tea. I actually find it quite impressive that you guys manage to make so much money by simply using your looks."

"Simply using our looks?" He chuckled dryly, as though what I said was humorous. "There seems to be a lot that you don't understand, Ms. Katsuhida. Maybe you should come by the club sometimes, since your friends Mao and Ami are regular visitors, it wouldn't hurt to try."

"Maybe, but I do have a lot of work to do. What with maintaining business relationships and keeping my grades up, I simply don't have time for recreational activities." I turned to look him straight in the eyes. "You of all people should understand."

"I do understand, and perhaps you might pass me as top student with a work ethic like that. That is, if I allowed it." He let a half-smirk grace his features, and I couldn't help but to think that he was one of the most egotistical people I've ever met. _Calm down, Shiori, you need to be nice. Flawless appearance and manners are what matter most. You are a Katsuhida, and you need to respect the name you were born under. Now calm down and try to make friends._

"Thanks for the semi-compliment, Ootori. Now if you would excuse me, I must get back to studying, if I ever want to usurp your title as top student." I turned my attention back down to my textbook, trying to concentrate on the words on the page in front of me.

*A few hours later*

Mao sat in the seat across from me, a look of anticipation on her face as she patiently waited for the bell to ring. She was tall and willowy, elegant in a way that not many others were. For three hours a day since she was old enough to walk she'd attended ballet class, which suited her name quite well, as she spelled it with the character for "Dance." Everything about the girl screamed grace, from her short curtain of brunette hair to the way she carried herself; she seemed to be the picture perfect example of a sophisticated young woman. Until she opened her mouth, that is.

"Shio-Chan, get you nose out of that book and look at me!" She demanded, irritation laced in her voice. She was a control freak, no way around it, but I liked that about her- she kept me on my toes. "You absolutely need to come to the host club with us today. If not for yourself, than for Ami. She's worried that you're overworking yourself, and she wants nothing more than to see you have fun. At least pretend like you're enjoying yourself, just this once, and I'll never ask you to come again."

"I may be a bit stone hearted sometimes, but I am not a bad friend, and you know that." I sighed, closing my textbook and looking straight into her amber eyes. "I'll come, if it'll really make you guys that happy."

Ok, I partially agreed only due to my father's orders, but I did mean it- I didn't like to see either of them upset. We'd been friends since the first time we met back in pre-k, and they were honestly more like sisters to me than anything else. Besides, this would give me a great time to become better acquainted with Ootori, and then I would never have to talk to him again. I was killing two birds with one stone.

"Come on then, let's go!" Mao grabbed my hand, dragging me out of the classroom as the bell rang. "Ami-Chan should be waiting for us outside the music room. Oh man, she's gonna be so happy when she finds out that you're actually coming with us!" She smiled, and she couldn't have been more right.

"Katsuhida Shiori, is that really you?" The raven haired girl exclaimed in excitement, a dumbfounded expression crossing her features.

"I'm afraid it is, my dear friend. Besides, I do happen to be the only ginger to ever walk these great halls." I chuckled. "Is it really that shocking for me to attend recreational activities with my two best friends?"

"Of course it is! You've never anything like this before, and everytime you hang out with us you have a book." She squealed happily, wrapping her arms around me and hugging me tightly. "I'm so proud of you."

"Enough of the theatrics, let's get going. I have some thing I need to discuss with Haruhi-senpai." Mao sighed, opening the door to music room three.

"Welcome."

 **R+R / give me feedback please :) follow if you want more**


	2. First Impressions

**Idk where I'm going with this story yet (o wel)**

I sat at my desk, scheduling and arranging appointments to see the hosts. It was like this everyday, as I was the only person capable of keeping up with all of this information, and the club would fail without any form of organization. I kept general records on money the club spent, fees, and every student who'd ever walked the academy's halls for the last decade. All in all, I knew way more than would ever be necessary, but you never know when simple background knowledge will come in handy.

"Kyoya-senpai! Kyoya-senpai!" Ami Yukio smiled, walking towards me with two other girls. I recognized them as Mao Shimada and Shiori Katsuhida, both students currently in my second year class. _Well, what do we have here? It seems that Ms. Katsuhida decided to join her friends this time- how peculiar. She must have some reasoning behind this visit, and I have a feeling it's something more than the desire to hang out with her friends._ "I'm here to schedule our appointments!"

"Good afternoon, Ms. Yukio. I expect you and Ms. Shimada want the usual?" I inquired nonchalantly, not looking up from my notes.

"Yep, I can't wait to talk to Tamaki-senpai. He looks so cute in his outfit!" She squealed happily, and I made sure to take a note: the girls seem to enjoy it when the hosts dress in darker clothing. I then checked out the next time available to be hosted by Tamaki and handed it to the young girl, making sure to smile at her as I did. A host should always be perfect definition of manners.

"And for you, Ms. Shimada." I signed out an appointment for Haruhi and gave it to the brunette. "I hope you two enjoy your afternoon with us, and feel free to partake in the food we have set out. Today we have tiramisu straight from Italy."

"Hey senpai you forgot about Shio-Chan!" Ami jumped up and down enthusiastically, grabbing her friend's hand. "Who do you want to host you, Shio? I don't know you're type, since you've never seemed to be interested in anything like this."

"I don't really think I want to be hosted, Ami. I'd rather just watch you guys." The ginger stated while smoothing out her skirt, even though there wasn't a single wrinkle in the yellow dress. It was expected of her not to have a single fault in her uniform, as she was a very neat, clean-cut girl. Her red hair was always pulled back into a tight bun, and every aspect of her appearance seemed be very carefully manicured. All in all, she was more professional looking than attractive, but you could tell that there was a wild spirit waiting to freed underneath that perfect facade. I found myself imagining her with that long hair cascading down her back, curls framing that freckled face and bringing out those bright green eyes. Now that would be truly beautiful.

"I'm afraid that you can only stay here if you have an appointment, Ms. Katsuhida." I said, staring at her very serious face. _I wonder how she'll respond this time..._

"Fine," She replied, "I'd like to set up a meeting with you, Ootori-San, unless that's a problem."

I have to admit she took me by surprise, as I wasn't used to people wanting me to host. It wasn't due to the fact that I was undesirable, but rather that I was always busy working, and didn't have time to properly host any girls. The most I'd do was give them information on the club theme for that day and maybe throw them a few compliments (IE you're a very intelligent young woman, you're eyes are beautiful, etc.) I couldn't help but to wonder what she was playing at though. She could just fine me attractive, but I doubt it. I'd gone to school with Katsuhida-San long enough to know that she didn't just do things because she wanted to, but rather had some sort of plan for everything. I'd been watching her closely since grade school, as she was a very bright student, and was constantly scoring second in the nation- only a few points behind me. I couldn't let her win.

"Hmm..." I thought for a moment, wondering if I would comply to the girl's request. _It would help me become better acquainted with the Katsuhida family, and if I remember correctly, they supply the packing peanuts for all of our shipping requirements. Father would be happy that I'd furthered a business relationship._ "I don't see why not."

"Good," She said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I don't think I could handle any of the other hosts, with the exception of Mori-senpai, and Mao would have my head if I left the club all together."

"Well, I wouldn't want a beauty such as yourself to be decapitated." I smiled at her in an attempt to be charming. In all honesty, I just wanted to see how she'd react.

"Cut the crap, you don't have to give me false compliments. I just want to have a simple discussion, nothing else." She stated plainly, not even the faintest blush on her cheeks. _She doesn't seem to be even vaguely attracted to anyone here. Either she was telling the truth about not being interested in romance, or she's a lesbian._ Images of Beni-Bara, the Lobelia ring leader, appeared in my mind. _No, that's not right. Maybe she's had a bad experience with love. I should look into it a bit more._

"What would you like to discuss?" I asked, looking into those emerald eyes. From the background check I'd run on her I'd discovered that her mom was pure Irish, and could only assume that was where she'd gotten her looks.

"Why is Fujioka-san dressing as a guy?" It was now her turn to stare at me, and for a second I was caught off guard. I should have expected her to pick up on Haruhi's gender, judging on how she was the second highest testing student in the nation, and her intelligence was not to be underestimated. Luckily, Shiori didn't seem like the kind of girl who would gossip, but you could never be to careful- I couldn't let the truth about Haruhi get out. The club would lose a lot of profit... ( **note: still thinking about money, aren't ya Kyoya? :D** )

"Why do you think that **Mr.** Fujioka is female, if you don't mind me asking?" I questioned her, carefully watching as she chuckled dryly and straightened the ribbon on the front of her dress (which was perfectly even, might I add.)

"It's very obvious to a keen eye, actually." She turned her attention over to Haruhi, seemingly watching the girl's movements closely. "She may have a very underdeveloped body, which causes her to look more boyish, but there's something about the way she carries herself that is distinctly female."

"You're a very interesting person, Ms. Katsuhida." I mused, causing the redhead to look surprised.

"Not really, just observant" She brushed off the compliment casually, as though I'd said nothing at all. "and please, just call me Shiori."

"If that's what you wish, then so be it... Shiori." The name felt strange rolling off my tongue;

"By the way, I'm not going to tell anyone about Haruhi." She looked at me, and I could hear the sincerity in her voice. "That's her business and not mine. Besides, I wouldn't gain anything from it."

"Thank you, that is quite an honorable trait." I complimented again, this time as a test to see how she'd react.

"It's nothing, I just treat people the way I'd like to be treated."

 _As expected, she seems to have a problem with accepting praise._ I added this down to the list of noted I'd taken on her.

Name: Shiori Katsuhida

Relatives: Mitsuko Katsuhida (17), Matsuda Katsuhida (45), and Riannon Katsuhida-O'conner (deceased at 33)

Friends: Ami Yukio (15, nearly 16), Mao Shimada (16)

Appearance: Pale skin, freckles, curly red-hair (generally pulled back into a neat bun), green eyes

Age: 16, 17 in october

Ranking: Second in the grade, behind Kyoya Ootori (myself)

Personality Traits: Insecure, Independent, Strong, Perfectionist, Modest, Workaholic, Ambitious

Business Standing: Heir to Katsuhida's Packing Peanut incorporated, which is odd, due to the fact that she is female. Regardless of her gender, she is strong willed and is a force to be reckoned with.

Merits on getting to know her: It is highly likely that she will be the next owner of her family business, which provides all of the shipping material to the Ootori Group. Acquainting myself with her would only further strengthen our two family's bonds.

"Would you please stop taking notes on me while I'm present." She sighed, signaling my notebook. "I know you have some obsession with information, but it's a little creepy knowing that you're analyzing my every move."

"I apologize, I'll stop." I smiled, though I was a tad aggravated. Who was she to tell me what I could and couldn't do? She was just the heir to a packing peanut company- how terrifying. I should be the one telling her what to do.

"And stop fake smiling. If you're annoyed, just say something." She rolled her eyes. _Is she trying to pick a fight?_

"Ms. Katsuhida-" I started, but was cut off by the girl.

"Shiori." She corrected, looking me straight in the eyes as though she were testing me. I think she was trying to break my facade. That's when I realized that she was bothering me on purpose, so that she could judge me reactions. Just like I had been complimenting her to see how she would respond, she was messing with me in an attempt to find my breaking point.

"Shiori," I grinned widely, not allowing her to win. I'd dealt with Tamaki for so long that it was nearly impossible for me to snap anymore; she'd have to do a lot more than just correcting me if she wanted to get me really angry. "you of all people should understand how important appearances are."

"Fair point." She nodded absently, probably disappointed in my response. I watched as she diverted her attention towards her friends, who were finishing up their appointments. Ami was blushing like crazy as Tamaki took her hand and kissed it gently, bidding her a good night. I must admit, she was a beautiful young women, with long black hair and eyes, but she was just like any other girl at Ouran. Mao, on the other hand, was about half as good looking as Yukio-san. She was pretty, but not in the same way. Her tall, willowy stature made her appear elegant, and her shoulder length brown hair framed her face nicely. All in all, both girls appearances made Shiori look dull in comparison.

"Shio-chan, how was your time?" Ami laughed cutely, tossing her raven colored hair over her shoulder.

"It was, decent." The ginger replied casually before turning towards me. "Thanks you for spending this time talking to me, Ootori-san-"

"It's Kyoya." I cut her off, smirking at the way she narrowed her eyes at me afterwards.

"Thank you, Kyoya. Have a nice afternoon." She smiled through gritted teeth, before following her friends out the door.

 **Shiori's POV:**

"So how'd you like Kyoya-senpai?" Ami asked me, a look of curiosity in those big, grey eyes.

"He was ok, I guess." I sighed, recalling my previous conversation with the so called 'shadow king'. He didn't seem like the person I'd generally want to be friends with, with his big ego and stupid black notebook, but I'd promised father that I would become friends with the boy.

"Just ok?" Mao raised her eyebrows, a smirk gracing his features. "I don't know, you two seemed to hit off pretty well. Are you sure you aren't secretly in love with him?"

"Now that I think about it, Shio-chan and Kyo-kun would make a really cute couple." Ami giggled. "Don't you agree Mao-chan?"

"Definitely! They'd be scary though, with their cold glares and scary intelligence." The brunette chimed in, only adding to my annoyance. _Will they shut up already?_

"They'd probably spend more time working than actually talking. I can just imagine Kyoya on his laptop while they're doing it-"

"Stop!" I cut my friends off, my face bright red. Why couldn't they just be quiet? They knew I didn't date anymore after what happened with Hideki, so why did they always have to pester me about boys? "You know I'm not interested in relationships, so stop talking about it. Got it?!" I glared at them, my emerald eyes flashing dangerously.

"S-shio-chan is scary when she's angry." Ami shivered, looking terrified. That's when I realized that I'd just snapped in public. I scanned the hallways, checking if anyone had heard my outburst, and sighed in relief when I saw that no one else was there. Everyone had gone home already.

"Damn, Shiori. We'll stop talking about it, ok? But you shouldn't let the past bother you so much." Mao said, looking at me with a worrisome expression. "You can't control the past, but you can control the future."

"I know, I know. I just don't think that I'm ready to move on yet. Sorry for being so rude, it was very unprofessional." I apologized, trying to look sincere. In all honesty, I wasn't really sorry, because those two needed to be scolded every once in a while- I just didn't want any cracks to form in my perfect appearance.

"There she goes again with that whole 'professional' crap', thinking that we can't see past her fake apologies." Mao rolled her eyes, and I felt a smirk appear on my face. "You don't have to pretend with us, and you know that. We've been by your side since the beginning, even before..." She stopped herself, realizing that she was about to march into sensitive territory.

"...my mom died and Mitsuko went full rebel, making me the family heir?" I finished her sentence, speaking with an even tone. Talking about my mom had stopped bothering me years ago, but Mao and Ami still remembered the days where I would sob every time someone her up. Since then they've been very careful in addressing the subject. I do admit, there are times when I completely lose it and end up crying myself to sleep thinking about her, but most of the time I manage composure.

"Who wants to go get icecream?" Ami cut through the tension with a forced smile, obviously trying to make the situation a little less awkward.

"That sound great, Ami-chan." I smiled back. "I didn't eat anything at the host club and was too busy studying to eat lunch, so I'm famished."

"Classic Shiori: worrying more about work than her own health." Mao sighed, staring at me with those amber eyes. "I'm making sure you eat as much icecream as we can stuff into that little ginger mouth of yours."

 **20 minutes Later**

"Ughh..." Mao groaned as we walked down the street in the blistering heat. "why couldn't we have driven here? Last time I checked, we all have our own private chauffeurs."

"Because Keki-San would be intimidated by our limousines!" Ami said enthusiastically, no ounce of tiredness in her voice. "Remember, she's only commoner."

"You are forgetting that Keki-San is well aware that we are filthy rich, and probably wouldn't be surprised if we showed up in a nice car." I replied, slightly ticked off. I was carrying an umbrella, as to make sure the sun didn't touch my pale skin, which burnt after only a few minutes outside.

We were heading towards a popular commoner's bakery called "Ohtba's Sweets"- the same one we went to when we had any sort of craving. We were good friend the owner (Keki), so she'd usually make us whatever we'd ask for: yakisoba, onigiri, you name it. You see, she was my family's private chef before my mother's passing 10 years ago. Right after my mom died, Keki realized that she needed to go out and chase her dreams, because life was too short to sit around making dinner for some rich people. She then started her bakery, which became an instant success. Basically- she loved my friends and I, and still saw me as a little kid.

When we made it the familiar pink door Mao happily pushed it open and yelled "Air Conditioning!"

"Hey girls! How are you today?" Keki grinned widely, a spatula in one hand and her ruffly apron covered in flower. "You look awfully tired."

"This genius thought that walking was a good idea." Mao grumbled, wiping sweat off of her brow.

"Aww you poor little idiots! I love you guys, but you aren't always the brightest." Keki laughed, but then turned her attention towards me. "Other than our little Shi-chan, of course! She's so smart, and always has been. She's just like her father. Though I think she should let down that pretty red hair of hers- it's so adorable."

"You know I always chose functionality over appearance, Keki-san." I smiled politely at her.

"Yeah yeah yeah, sounds like something your Dad would say. You used to be such a free spirit, before..." She drifted into thought and her eyebrows furrowed. "Anyways, you should know better than to be so formal. Just call me Keki."

"You know Shio-chan is always so polite, she'll never let those manners falter." Ami beamed, and I realized how similar her and Keki were. They we both pretty, boy obsessed optimists who can brighten any room they walked into. _No wonder they get along so well, they might as well be twins._ My thoughts turned toward the Hitachiins, and I shuddered. I was glad that dad didn't want me to talk with them- they were nothing but trouble.

"Always looking so neat and orderly." Keki replied.

"She doesn't know how to have fun." Mao added. _What is this, a roasting?_

"And don't forget the music she listens to!" Ami laughed.

"Ok, my music is great. You're just uncultured." I sighed, crossing my arms. "Besides, today isn't international judge Shiori day. We actually came in here to get some icecream."

"Icecream?! Definitely!" Keki squealed, walking towards the back of the store. For a 28 year old woman, she sure did act like a teenager; in fact, the seemed younger than I did. "I'll be right back with the usual. A scoop of strawberry for Ami, rocky road for Mao, chocolate for myself, and butter pecan for Shiori!"

"I love that woman." Mao smiled, slumping into one of the red chairs across from Ami.

"So do I, she's always so bubbly and enthusiastic! Hey Shio-chan..." Ami giggled, playing with a lock of raven hair and looking at me in the way she does when she wants something.

"What do you want, Ami-chan?" I sighed, knowing that I was going to end up doing whatever it is was that she wanted- she always got her way. She was just too cute to deny.

"Umm... if it isn't too much trouble..." She looked down at the ground, trying to play shy. _She does this every flipping time._ "could you take your hair down? It's so curly and fun to play with!"

"You know I don't like it down in public." I replied instantly. This time I would try to hold my ground, even if it was Ami who I was talking to. "Maybe I will if we go back to my house later, but I really don't want to do it here."

"That's a shame." She stood up, frowning. A sudden wave of fear washed over me as she walked towards me, an eery smile gracing that perfect face. Quickly, as though she were a tiger hunting it's prey, she pounced onto me and yanked on the rubber band holding my hair in place. "OOPS!"

"GET OFF ME AMI! I SWEAR TO GOD I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" I yelled over Mao's roaring laughter and the evil chuckling of Ami as she tore the ponytail holder out of my wild locks. I felt the curls cascade around my shoulders, falling into my eyes and annoying the piss out of me.

"You look so cute!" The black haired girl grinned happily, and I could see Mao doubled over with laughter in the background.

"If there was someone else in the store right now, I would murder the both of you, but since it's only us-" I started, but was cut off by the tingling of the door being opened. My eyes widened with shock, and I suddenly became twice as aware of how I was on the floor, being pinned down by one of my best friends and my hair a hot mess. _No no no this can't be happening, dad will kill me if he finds out about this._

"Mao-san? What are you doing here, I wouldn't expect you to come here." An oddly familiar voice said from the doorway, but I couldn't quite tell who it was. "You too Ami-San and Shiori-San?"

"Haruhi! We're close friends of Keki, we come her all of the time!" I heard Mao stand up and run towards Haruhi, glomping her in a hug. _Oh god, I should have expected this. I didn't think anyone from Ouran would come here, since it's a commoner's store, but I completely forgot about Haruhi._ I squeezed my eyes shut, trying tune out the world around me. _Please make it stop._

"Hey, it's that redhead Kyoya was talking to earlier! But why is she on the floor, and why is her hair everywhere? I don't think I've ever seen it down before. Weird..." Two voices said in unison, and I instantly recognized it as the Hitachiin devils.

"Hey Haru-chan, I thought this was a commoner's bakery" The sweet voice of Mitsukune Haninozuka said. "so why are Ouran students here?"

"We're friends with Keki! We come here at least three times of week to talk with her and eat yummy cake." Ami smiled. "And OH MY GOD TAMAKI-SENPAI! YOU'RE HERE TOO?"

"Who are these guys? Girls, you didn't tell me we have guests! And they're hot!" Keki came out from the back with our icecream in her hand, and I let an annoyed groan escape my lips. "Hey Shio-chan, why are you laying on the floor, ya big goof? And you took your hair out! It looks so kawaii! Are you trying to impress one of these boys?!"

"Could someone help me up?!" I growled, wondering how this moment could get any worse. The entire host club had now seen me looking like a complete and utter mess, all of them who would one day be important business partners, and there was no way to revive my appearance.

I felt a hand reach down to help me. Looking up, I realized that it belonged to none other than Kyoya Ootori. _Are you freaking kidding me?! Why him, of all people? If dad finds out about this, he'll kill me. Scratch that- he'll give me that signature "Dad Death Glare" that he does when he's extremely disappointed. What if Ootori tells his parents about this... what if his parents tell my dad... oh god, this is gonna be horrible. Might as well runaway to another country; at least that'll better than having to face father when he's angry._

"Making ourselves quite the spectacle, aren't we, Shiori?" He smirked, his tone laced with mild amusement. "I'll take it that your friends had a part in this, considering that this sort of behavior is atypical of you."

"Don't even go there. I just want to go home and study." I sighed, standing up and making an attempt to flatten any wrinkles out of my yellow uniform. I then reached up to feel my hair. _Yup, it's everywhere. There's no way that I'm gonna manage to keep this mane down, unless I find another rubberband._ I turned my attention towards Ami, who was oggling and flirting with Tamaki, and saw my brown ponytail holder on her wrist.

 **Did you like it? Please give me feedback and I'll take it into account along with any suggestions :)**

 **PS I'll try and update this at least once a week**


	3. Ex Lovers

**In case anyone is confused, I use italics to indicate the current characters inner thoughts :)**

"Can I have a big strawberry sugar cone? Triple scoop?!" Honey smiled at Keki, who laughed lightly in response before handing him his order.

"Anything for such an adorable little customer…" She beamed as I rolled my eyes. Even she couldn't resist the host club's charms. "What about your tall friend, does he want something?"

"No thank you." Mori said promptly, yet didn't come across as rude at all. I'd always been secretly envious of his expert ability to know the fine line between not saying enough and saying too much; it was a talent very few could perfect. Keki, of course, swooned at his cool and collected response. _You're almost 40 years old, woman. Get ahold of yourself._

"Isn't Shio-chan absolutely adorable? She looks like a doll!" Ami giggled to Tamaki, and I inwardly sighed as I awaited his over the top response to the question.

"Of course she is. A gorgeous, sun kissed forest nymph with eyes like summer leaves. Her beauty is rivalled by few." The blonde leaned towards me, hearts for eyes. I'd probably be a little flattered, but I knew he complimented everyone like this. The one thing I couldn't put my finger on was whether or not he really meant all these grandeur proclamations of beauty, or if he was just flirting to gain something of us. After all, nearly every girl at Ouran Academy was the product of excellent breeding.

It'd been 15 minutes since the club had stumbled into the ice cream parlor and ruined what was supposed to be a relaxing excursion, and I wasn't exactly joyful of their presence. I noticed Ootori-San staring up at me every now and again, like a doctor examining a wounded patient. I shifted in my seat a little bit, trying to maintain composure. I knew it was hard to take me seriously with my ginger curls frizzing around me like a halo, but I still made a last ditch effort to appear professional by gently straightening the bow on my uniform.

"Still striving for absolute perfection, are we?" Ootori commented, the corners of his lips turning into a small smile. "I wouldn't expect any less of the heir to of the Katsuhida Business."

"I have very high standards set for me that I must surpass. You should understand that, Ootori-San." I replied gingerly, each word rolling off of my tongue in expert fashion. I'd had enough experience with conversations like this. Be polite, be persistent, and force a smile… that's what my father would say.

"Then I'm assuming that the current state of your hair must be bothering you quite a bit."

I paused, nearly raising an eyebrow at the ebony haired host. _What is he getting at? Is he trying to embarass me, or is he just teasing me._ Shaking off my thoughts, I maintained my fake smile. "Why yes, it does."

"What if I proposed a deal?" He leaned forward a bit, resting his shoulders on his knees. The cunning look in his steel eyes made me weary of what he was about to stay. It was as though I could always see the gears turning in the back of his mind; he was consistently processing, storing and gathering information. "I could get you a hair tie, but only under certain circumstances."

 _Of course he wants something out of it instead of just giving me the hair tie. Why is he even carrying one with him? Sometimes I wish I could break this business facade and just scoff at people._ "I'm willing to accept that deal, but it depends on the circumstances."

"You must become a regular at the club, which I believe will work in both of our favors. I'm assuming that your father told you that need to become acquainted with me, since you wouldn't have spoken to me today if he didn't, and this would be the perfect opportunity for you to establish that "friendship". My father would also be delighted if he found out that I was strengthening our company's bond to the Katsuhida heir. What do you say?"

I laughed inwardly. Ootori was right, this was a good plan. Then again, regular visits to the host club would distract me from my studying, which might lessen my chances of becoming top of my class next year. I'm sure he'd thought of this already though- in his eyes, it was both crippling the competition and making a very smart business endeavor. I'd just have to study double time on weekends, which wouldn't be too bad. Ami and Mao might be upset that I'd have less time to hang out with them, but that would easily be counteracted by the act that I would start visiting the host club with them. All sides of the plan worked in my favor. At this point, I didn't even care as much about the hair tie as I did about pleasing my father.

"Consider it a deal." I held out my hand as he pulled a single black elastic from around his wrist and gave it to me.

"My sister advised me to always keep a hair tie on me, warning me that it'd come in handy. I believe she ended up being right." He said cooly while I pulled my curls back into a stiff bun. I knew that it wouldn't be the tidiest, but it was still better than an unruly red mane.

"Women tend to be right about most things." I said dully, coaxing a deep chuckle from him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must be off. I'd love to stay here another thirty minutes, but I have important work that I have to attend to."

"Have a good evening, Ms. Katsuhida."

Standing up, I straightened out my yellow dress and slipped out of the shop door. Ami and Mao were too distracted to by the other hosts to notice my disappearance, and I breathed a sigh of relief as I took in my quiet surroundings. There weren't many pedestrians around, so I felt as though I could relax for a moment. Until I saw his face… **(NOW I'M A BELIEVER. Sorry, had to do it.)**

My emerald eyes immediately met his. I felt my heart sink as I took in those familiar chocolate orbs that had once been my greatest source of comfort, but now didn't mean a thing to me. He was lovely, I had to admit, but I wasn't allowed to think that anymore. After all, it was my fault that we were basically strangers at this point.

"Shiori…" He looked down, and I could tell that he was probably feeling just as distraught. Even after all of these years. "It's been a while."

"Two years, give or take." I managed a tight lipped smile, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. I wondered if I broke his heart, and I wondered if he knew how much it hurt after the break up.

His name was Yuki Ken. He was a commoner, and I met him on the playground when I was only four. My mother preferred to take my sister and I to "regular" parks, as she wanted us to have as normal of a childhood as she possibly could. Yuki and I quickly became best friends, and we only grew closer as the years went by. My father knew of my strong relationship to the less affluent boy, but he wasn't significantly bothered by it. This was before my mother's death, and before Mitsuko blew her shots at ever becoming heir. I had less expectations back then, since I was second in line to take over the company.

When I was twelve, Yuki had nervously held my sweaty hand while we were on a walk. Three months later, he kissed me. I remember how awkward it had been, and how he tasted of the cherry slushies Keki would sneak past my parents and give to us kids (we weren't allowed to have too much sugar). It took a year after that for him to say that he was in love with me, and only a month after his proclamation for me to shatter his naive heart. What he never knew was that since that day he grabbed my freckled, delicate hand, I'd been in love with him. Of course, this love has faded over the past two years, but it hadn't gone away. It was as though my feelings were nothing more than a simmering pot of water, but seeing his face caused them to overflow.

I didn't want to cut him off, but it was for the best. After my father told me that I was to be the heir, my reputation became exceedingly important. He didn't want me messing around with a common boy, and I had to follow his orders. I loved Yuki, but I also needed to put my family and my responsibilities first. I had to focus more on my studies, and it must have pained him to know that he could never really be with me. I was aristocracy, after all. Ending what we had was, logically, the best approach.

"You look different. Neater." He smiled, but I knew it was forced. Yuki was the nicest boy I'd ever met, and I knew he was just trying not to make me feel guilty. He'd done the same thing the day I broke up with him. He always smiled, even with the bad hand that life had dealt him. It was admirable.

"I think it suits me more," I replied "it's professional."

"I guess we've both changed." He chuckled, before taking a few steps towards me. My heart skipped a beat, and I tried to remain expressionless as he moved closer. "It was nice seeing you, Katsuhida-San. Take care."

With that, he walked right past me. I fought my urge to watch him walk away, and was startled at his brief goodbye. I don't know what I'd expected. My original plan was to call up my chauffeur and have a limo take me home, but I all of a sudden felt as though I had a lot to process. Straightening my uniform, I began my trek home. It was nice to be alone amongst the trees and winding roads that lead to my estate, but something Yuki said to me still managed to eat at my conscience. He was the last shard of the shattered glass that was my childhood, and speaking to him seemed to temporarily cut through my will to remain collected. Part of me wanted to tell him the truth as to why I dumped him, but I knew it wouldn't benefit either of us. It would only muddy the waters of our past.

 **Sorry this was bit shorter, but next chapter will definitely contain more fluff haha. I try to prioritize plot over romance.**


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